Folk art is a genre of art that shares the creator’s traditions, offering not just an artistic display but an opportunity to learn about a culture. Antique, new and vintage folk art typically reflects a heritage or location. It can include utilitarian objects and handmade art as diverse as weather vanes, duck decoys, portraiture and paintings, carnival art and quilts.
Quilts are a quintessential part of American folk art but their roots are international, with quilting dating back to Ancient Egypt. The practice spread to Europe and was especially prominent in the Middle Ages, with one of the oldest surviving examples being the Tristan quilt made in Sicily in the 14th century. They were made as bedcovers and clothing, including as a layer for knights to wear beneath their armor. Native American folk art includes functional objects reflecting their heritage, such as baskets, textiles and wooden pieces.
Elsewhere, the vast range of work associated with Mexican folk art includes masks made by Mexican craftspeople for traditional celebrations and ceremonial dances. Mexican masks are part of the country’s folk-art traditions that go back thousands of years and play a role in festivals and theater.
Works in the folk art tradition are valuable because of the skills involved, like weaving, hand-carving wood and even stonework. Many folk artists are self-taught, while some train as apprentices within their community. By using available materials and taking a personal approach to their creations, artists ensure each piece is unique and conveys a story.
During the Great Depression, artistic materials in America were hard to come by, so artisans used discarded wood from cigar boxes and shipping crates to make highly stylized, notched pieces — most often picture frames and boxes — that are today sought after by collectors. This folk art style is called tramp art and was popular from roughly 1870 until the 1940s.
Folk art brings vibrant culture and traditions into your home. Browse an extensive collection of antique, new and vintage folk art on 1stDibs.
Uredale Glass Paperwight Pebble Shape Star Decoration, North Yorkshire 20th C
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is an unusual hand-made Art-Glass paperweight from Uredale Glass, Masham, North Yorkshire, England which we date to the late 20th century. The paperweight is hand made in the...
Glass
Vintage Hand-Carved Marble Bookends, Aztec Mayan Design, Mexico, 1950s
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Pair of vintage green and white marble Aztec Mayan stone bookends. Vintage handcrafted large heavy natural marble bookends with Aztec Mayan green head on a pyramidal form. These are very substantial, heavy and well handmade bookends. They are hand carved white with white natural color of the marble and the green marble carved Mayan head...
Marble
$247Sale Price|74% Off
19th Century Faux Bamboo Desk Accessory Brass Ruler
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
19th Century Faux Bamboo Desk Accessory Brass Ruler
Brass
Pair of Large Carl Auböck Model #4219 'Hands' Brass Bookends
Located in Glendale, CA
Pair of Large Carl Auböck Model #4219 'Hands' Brass Bookends. Designed in the 1950s, this incredibly refined and sculptural pair of bookends are executed in polished brass. Hand fu...
Brass
Salta Medium Bordeaux Onyx Stone Pair of Bookends
By AIREDELSUR
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
Salta province is called the beautiful, and this adjective introduces us to its profound beauty. Its fertile valleys, windy desert, colorful mountains and blue sky are the images tha...
Stone, Onyx, Metal
$795 / set
H 10 in W 5.5 in D 7.25 in
Huge Pair of Vintage Polished Brass Duck Bookends by Sarreid Ltd.
Located in Houston, TX
Large pair of Hollywood Regency polished brass bookends by Sarreid Ltd. This handsome pair of brass bookends is the largest size we have seen. Dimensions: 10" H, 7.25" D and 5.5" W. They are in great condition and date to the 1960s. This pair of Sarried brass...
Brass
Vintage Marble Egg, 1950s
Located in Roma, IT
Marble egg is an original decorative object realized in the mid-20th century. Made in Italy. The work is realized entirely in marble. The egg is re...
Marble
Pair of Carl Auböck Model #1928 'Hands' Brass Bookends
Located in Glendale, CA
Pair of Carl Auböck model #1928 'Hands' brass bookends. Designed in the 1950s, this incredibly refined and sculptural pair of bookends are executed in patinated and polished brass. ...
Brass
$700 / set
H 5 in W 7 in D 3.5 in
Pair of Grand Tour Style Carved Alabaster Bookends Formed as Classical Ruins
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A very good pair of architectural inspired 'Grand Tour' style columnar alabaster bookends, both carved in the form of fluted columns, raised on stepped bases. Dimensions noted are th...
Alabaster
$1,468 / set
H 7 in W 3.1 in D 2.8 in
Mid-Century Hand Carved Alabaster Owl Sculptures with Glass Eyes Bookends 1950s
Located in Lisse, NL
Beautiful, meaningful, practical and decorative mid-century bookends. Given the fact that owls are the international symbol for wisdom and learning, these are the perfect sculptures...
Alabaster
Carl Auböck Model #4630 Large Brass Bookends
Located in Glendale, CA
Pair of Carl Auböck model #4630 large brass bookends. Designed in the 1950s, this incredibly refined and sculptural pair of minimalist bookends are executed in polished brass. The A...
Brass
Grouping of Eight Carl Auböck Brass Bookends
Located in Glendale, CA
Grouping of eight Carl Auböck brass bookends. Includes one pair each of Models #3651, #3652, #3653 & #3654. Designed in the 1950s, these inc...
Brass
Carl Aubock Patinated Brass Bookends #4636
Located in Chalk Hill, PA
Carl Aubock patinated brass bookends #4636. Produced by Carl Auböck IV in the original Auböck workshop in Vienna, Austria using the same standards, high-quality materials, original m...
Brass
Velvet Dark Gold Rabbit Door Stopper / Bookends
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Velvet dark gold rabbit as a door stopper / bookends. Made in Italy: Made in Italy furniture means design, quality, style and sophistication. The typical...
Velvet
Vintage 1960s Murano Glass 'Tutti Frutti' Paperweight by AVEM
By Arte Vetraria Muranese (AVEM)
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1960s. This paperweight is made in Murano glass. It is a "Tutti frutti" model. This is a vintage piece, therefore it might show slight traces of use, but it can be con...
Murano Glass
Vintage Brass Tennis Racket Clip 1980s
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Brass Tennis Racket Clip 1980s. A vintage paper clip holder featuring a brass tennis racket. Brass Tennis Racket Paper Holder Clip, Desk an...
Brass
Collection of English Glass "Dump" Weights
Located in Greenwich, CT
Nice collection of 5 English 19th Century blown glass "dump" or "end of day" weights in various sizes, all with slight aqua tones. Reportedly, these weights were made by the glassbl...
Blown Glass
Antique Style Bronze Nautical Maritime Bearded Fisherman Sculpture
Located in San Diego, CA
Captivating figure in bronze of bearded fisherman. The figure is detailed. It renders attention to the nautical jacket and hat worn by the bearded sub...
Bronze
Collection of 18 Vintage Art Glass Millefiori Weights
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A collection of 18 vintage art glass millefiori weights Paper weights dating from 1960s retro onward, all individual, made in glass. One in the shape of a duck ! The weights are ...
Art Glass
Sold
H 1.64 in Dm 2.75 in
Handmade Paperweight Encased and Suspended Real Country Grasses, 20th Century
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a very decorative handmade English acrylic paperweight made with real wild country grasses and dating to the 20th century. This paperweight is made of different wild grass...
Acrylic
Sold
H 1.36 in Dm 2.38 in
Handmade Paperweight with Real Wild Flowers by Sarah Rogers, English circa 1970s
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a beautiful handmade English acrylic paperweight made by Sarah Rogers with real flowers and dating to the 20th century. This paperweight is mad...
Acrylic
Sold
H 6 in W 9 in D 2.5 in
Modernist Hand Carved Stone Hippo or Paperweight, Folk Art Mid-20th Century
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is an unusual hand carved natural stone, modernist Folk Art, model of a hippopotamus or hippo, which we date to the mid-20th century. The "hippo" is quite heavy weighing abou...
Stone
Daisy Paperweight Handmade with Real Flowers by Sarah Rogers, English
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a beautiful handmade English paperweight made by Sarah Rogers with a Daisy and other real flowers and dating to the 20th century. The paperweig...
Acrylic, Organic Material
Sold
H 2.5 in W 5 in D 2.5 in
Leather Mouse Paper Weight Toy by Dimitri Omersa for Abercrombie & Fitch, 1960s
By Dimitri Omersa, Abercrombie & Fitch
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Leather mouse paper weight toy by Dimitri Omersa for Abercrombie & Fitch, 1960s. A very effective paperweight. What will the cat make of this one? The leather mouse is made using o...
Leather
19th Century Iron Hubley German Shepard Door Stop
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fine all original painted 19th century German Shepard cast iron door stop is made by the Hubley and in fine untouched condition. These are so hard to find with such great surface.
Iron